Athletics versus Academics? Rejoining the Evidence from SAT Scores

Abstract

The present paper provides statistical evidence of the positive role played by athletics within the mission of higher education. With data provided by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the present study employs a superior measure of athletic success as advertising to that of previous studies, and provides evidence that basketball success at colleges and universities in the US aids these institutions in attracting quality students—who themselves are seeking the institution offering an optimal bundle of consumption and investment benefits with regard to human capital attainment. The evidence presented here supports previous studies which point out that athletics may indeed enhance the mission of a university